The present invention relates in general to containers and, in particular, to a vented container apparatus for storing various vapor and gas exuding articles.
The water and air impervious storage of various vapor and gas exuding articles, has a number of packaging problems associated therewith. Furthermore, the storage of foodstuffs places further requirements on the packaging. The container must prevent the contamination of such foodstuffs while offgasing vapor and gas which may form after sealing of the container. Creation and continuous expansion of vapors and gases after the sealing of such containers may cause the container to rupture. Even where containers remain undamaged, the expansion of these vapors and gases may deform the package in such a way as to make it more difficult to ship or sell.
There are currently a number of approaches to offgasing the vapor and gas from a container, while substantially preventing the contamination of the articles therein. One approach utilizes a one-way flow mechanical valve adhered to a portion of the container, such that gases and vapors may be vented from the interior of the container to the exterior without exterior contaminates being allowed into the container through the valve. The addition of a mechanical valve adds substantial additional material costs, as well as additional manufacturing steps into the fabrication of the container, which is undesirable.
Yet another approach involves the use of a vent constructed as part of the bag. There are a number of constructions utilizing this approach. One such construction involves perforating a portion of the container to allow vapor and gas to escape. This construction may, however, also allow the articles in the container to become contaminated. Another construction involves intermittent heat sealing an edge of a container, such that an air pervious seal is formed. This approach is further complicated, so as to prevent contamination of the articles, by providing a second intermittently heat sealed line adjacent the first such that their respective gaps are staggered relative to each other, thus, minimizing contamination and migration, although not preventing it. Yet another construction for container venting involves introducing a filter type material to an opening of a container before sealing, such that after sealing, the interior of the container may communicate with the exterior through the filter. These vent constructions involve the introduction of additional materials and/or additional manufacturing steps, thus increasing the material cost of the container while increasing the manufacturing complexity of producing such containers.
Still another approach to venting containers is to provide a channel connecting the interior of the container to the exterior of the container through a passage which is long relative to the size of the container, such that vapors and gases may be released from the interior to the exterior, while substantially preventing the contamination and migration of the articles located within the container. One particular construction of such a channel, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,441, is accomplished between overlapping portions of the same sheet of material to form a seam region glued at two longitudinal lines forming a channel between the overlapping edge portions and gluelines within the seam, having a hole communicating with the interior region and a hole communicating with the exterior of the bag. This approach to creating a channel involves relatively manufacturing intensive procedures for insuring that the overlapping margins of the sheet are appropriately aligned and appropriately adhered to form the vented container together with additional adhesive.
It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a venting means to conduct vapors and gases exuding from articles contained within a sealed container from the interior of the container to the exterior of the container, while substantially preventing the contamination and migration of the articles located within the container.
It is an associated object of the present invention to manufacture such a vented container apparatus wherein the venting corridor is formed in a less manufacturing intensive, less expensive manner--while still being effective to successfully accommodate the venting, non-contamination and non-migration objectives.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent in light of the present specification, claims and drawings.